Moody’s Sees Angola as No-Go Zone for U.S. Banks as Risks Remain

Moody’s Sees Angola as No-Go Zone for U.S. Banks as Risks Remain

LUANDA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Angola is still a long way off from tempting U.S. banks into resuming dollar-clearing services despite making progress in combating money laundering, according to Moody’s Investors Service. “American banks are unlikely to come back to Angola anytime soon,” Akin Majekodunmi, a London-based senior analyst at Moody’s, said in an interview on Wednesday. “This industry, if you like, doesn’t make much commercial sense for them anymore.” Bank of America Corp….

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One of the Biggest ICOs Plummets as Manager Spat Heats Up

One of the Biggest ICOs Plummets as Manager Spat Heats Up

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Tezos, the startup which raised $232 million in a July initial coin offering, plunged on derivative exchanges after revealing a management spat and little progress in developing its product. Derivatives on Tezos tokens fell as much as 31 percent, according to exchange HitBTC. On BitMEX, December futures on the tokens plunged 58 percent as traders unwound bets the project would be launched before the end of the year. The…

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BOE’s November Rate Hike Isn’t Set in Stone After Crunch Week

BOE’s November Rate Hike Isn’t Set in Stone After Crunch Week

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – After a crucial week for the Bank of England, a November interest-rate increase no longer looks like a sure thing. Inflation may have hit 3 percent, but for some policymakers at the central bank, the domestic price pressures that justify raising now aren’t there. That view was backed up by data Wednesday that showed wage growth slowing. Dave Ramsden, the Monetary Policy Committee’s newest member, had said a day earlier that…

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Daimler Profit Falls as Mercedes Stumbles on Diesel Costs

Daimler Profit Falls as Mercedes Stumbles on Diesel Costs

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Daimler AG’s profit slumped 14 percent in the third quarter as earnings at the Mercedes-Benz cars division dropped on costs to fix the emissions systems of older diesel cars. Earnings before interest and taxes declined to 3.46 billion euros ($4.1 billion) from 4.04 billion euros a year earlier, the Stuttgart, Germany-based manufacturer said Friday in a statement. As the company flagged in advance of the report, Mercedes booked 453 million euros in…

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Engie Agrees to Buy Solar-Power Firm Fenix to Expand in Africa

Engie Agrees to Buy Solar-Power Firm Fenix to Expand in Africa

JOHANNESBURG (Capital Markets in Africa) – Engie SA agreed to buy U.S. energy-technology start-up Fenix International to help fund the roll out of solar-power systems for Africans with no access to the electricity grid.  The French utility will provide capital and help raise debt to expand the electricity service into at least 10 African countries over the next five years, Fenix Chief Executive Officer Lyndsay Handler said in a phone interview. Courbevoie-based Engie decided on the…

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HSBC, Standard Chartered Face U.K. Probe Over Gupta Ties

HSBC, Standard Chartered Face U.K. Probe Over Gupta Ties

LONDON (Capital Markets in Africa) – United Kingdom regulators are looking into whether HSBC Holdings Plc and Standard Chartered Plc facilitated money-laundering as a result of possible ties to South Africa’s politically powerful Gupta family. The Financial Conduct Authority probe comes after Peter Hain, a member of the unelected House of Lords, wrote a letter raising concerns about the banks’ possible exposure to the Guptas. In the letter, Hain said allegedly illicit funds may have passed through the…

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Barrick Will Pay Tanzania $300 Million in Acacia Tax Fight

Barrick Will Pay Tanzania $300 Million in Acacia Tax Fight

DAR ES SALAM (Capital Markets in Africa) – Barrick Gold Corp. agreed to pay Tanzania’s government $300 million as talks about the state’s tax dispute with unit Acacia Mining Plc continue, Chairman John Thornton said. Acacia shares surged by a record. The payment is a “a show of good faith” as a working group comprised of representatives from both sides seek to establish an ultimate resolution to the disagreement, Thornton said at a briefing Thursday after a…

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